Despair
by Hatsunation
Summary: AU. Set in America during The Great Depression. Ciel goes home to his parents after failing to make money to help keep their home only to find despair as his companion to his destination. Rated T just because. ONE SHOT


_Well hullo readers. _

_To you Black Butler people that don't know I exist, I'm Hatsunation._

_I write angst stuff. Like this story._

_This was written a year ago but if you Kuro kids like this I might write more fan fiction for this fandom._

_Enjoys^^_

* * *

The boy lay on the bench gazing at the ceiling with glazed eyes. It appeared he was focusing on it intently but he was looking past it. Past to the roof that concealed the sky. It had been a month since he left home to help his family earn money but he has failed miserably. No one wanted to hire a child. A one eyed child at that.

Ciel sat up, feeling uncomfortable from laying on the hardwood for so long. The moans of the other men around him gave him chills. 'Nightmares,' Ciel thought. He looked around the night darkened room. Nearly pitch black but he still retained some vision.

On the wall opposite from him, Ciel could see a large poster taped to the wall. In obnoxious fonts it stated things like, 'The Lord will promise', 'Call upon Him while He is near.' The boy couldn't help but scoff at such pathetic slogans. Such statements were for the weak. he was about to lay back down when a poster caught his eye.

'How long since you wrote mother?'

Ciel blinked in response. He hadn't written his parents at all. Mainly because he had filed to earn money to send a letter. Sighing angrily, he pulled at his black hair in frustration. He had failed to make money to help his parents. Now they would lose their glorious house. All thanks to Ciel.

The least he could do is return to them; to explain what a disappointment he'd been.

He stood up and marched from the shelter. With a motive in mind, Ciel was happy to have a purpose again. The boy marched down the deserted streets heading towards the outskirts of the city. As he walked past a group of boys his age sitting on the sidewalk, he heard one of them call out to him. Like a fool, Ciel turned around to face them. The gang was now standing in formation around him with mischievous smiles. The supposed leader of the group stepped forward holding a small knife in hand.

'Ello whimp. Got any coins you'll be willing to share?' the blonde leader smirked. He waved the knife subtly but the threat was clear enough.

'I've not a penny. Now go away,' Ciel ordered.

'The blonde looked at the rest of his troop, 'Hear that? The one eyed boy has nothing.'

'Then we find someone else?" a boy suggested.

The blonde's eyes flashed as he smacked the boy's head, 'No you twit! He's a bloody liar!'

There was a chorus of 'oh's' as they agreed with their leader.

'So what do we do then Alois?' the same boy asked.

The boy named Alois smacked them again, 'Idiot! We beat him up!'

In a flash the boys attacked. Ciel cried out from the beating but it only made the psychotic boy laugh. After what seemed like eternity the boys left him on the cold street.

From hopelessness to misery, Ciel fought off the tears welling in his eyes. No one would help him. He was alone here. The image of his parents flashed through his head. They were smiling, holding out their hands to him. Although a distant memory before The Depression hit, it was all the boy had.

He struggled back to his feet, clutching the eye that had been concealed by the black eye patch. The gang had paid special attention to that eye and injured it far more severely than it had been before.

Slow, yet determined, the boy continued onwards to the promise of his parents' smiles. He eventually left the city into it's surrounding countryside. On the horizon the faint glow of the rising sun could be seen, but it was still dark as ever.

As he walked on, a gravely croon of a bird could be heard. Ciel looked up, mildly surprised a bird was out this early. The bird was as dark as the surrounding shadows; a raven perhaps but Ciel thought better and dubbed it a crow. it was slightly unnerving how the animal watched him with such keen interest but he ignored it and went on with his trek.

Ciel walked on, growing more weary with each step. A flutter was to be heard from behind. perched in a tree ahead was the crow.

Ciel had heard stories of demons masquerading as animals to stalk humans, but he always thought it was ridiculous. 'Be on your way, stupid bird,' Ciel commanded the crow.

The crow remained, watching him until he reached his parents home. When the boy was walking he had smelled smoke but assumed it was from a campfire. It's source had been completely unexpected.

In a smoldering black ruin was the charred remains of the Phantomhive around it was thick with smoke and ash.

'N-no...' Ciel whispered. He ran at the wreckage, crying and screaming for his parents but to no avail. All that could be heard was his own tired voice.

The boy fell to his knees, tears running down his face. What had happened to his beloved home? Where were his parents? he rubbed his eyes clean of tears, contemplating the scene before him.

Then Ciel noticed something. A certain blackness wedged under the wreckage. Hesitantly, he crept forward and pushed the rubble aside.

Two human bodies. Charred beyond recognition, yet Ciel knew who they were. The orphan only turned away, feeling more angry than sad. He recalled a conversation he had overheard before he left for the city. 'I'd rather die than give up this house,' his parents had said. They had sold all their belongings to afford the upkeep for the old family manor. There were years of history within its walls but nevermore. Selfishly they had burned it down, taking their own lives in the process.

'Why did this have to happen?' Ciel wondered, feeling anger welling inside, 'To me of all people?!'

The boy went into a rage, attacking the rubble along with anything that could survive his anger.

As the boy fell back into grief, the crow watched. Almost a smile could be seen on its beak.


End file.
